When Life Hands You Lemons...
by Kiwi Kero
Summary: Taichi and yamato are middle-aged. But crisis strikes: Yamato is losing his hair and Taichi is a drunk! Can they help each other get back to normal before it's too late? TAITO! Part 2 now up!
1. Problems and a Party

When Life Hands You Lemons...  
by Keri (hiya!)  
  
Okay, I know this is very short but it's only the beginning. I just want to see if it's good. If people like it and review   
positively, I'll write MUCH more. This is dedicated to Inkiemouse, who inspired it. Um, enjoy it! Tell me what you think!   
Taichi and Yamato are both 31. Taichi lives in Highton View Terrace while Yamato lives in America. Ep. 50 never happened.  
  
~@~  
  
Ishida Yamato threw down his car keys and fell into his large green armchair. He ran his fingers through his thinning hair   
and sighed. He had been losing his gorgeous blonde hair for several months now, and he was only thirty-one. His remaining   
hair was still golden and beautiful, but there was still a widening skin patch that grew every week. He had tried numerous   
hair-care products that were supposed to make hair grow back, but none of them worked. He had always taken great pride in   
the way that he looked, and just the thought of going bald devastated him. His doctor thought that the problem causing his   
hair loss was stress. But the idea of stress being the issue wasn't very likely. He had an easy job, great pay, and very   
dependable friends. What could be stressful about his seemingly perfect life? Yamato knew. Yamato had a secret that had   
been haunting him for a while now. His one secret could destroy his reputation and tear his great life into shreds. Yamato   
had a secret that could ruin him forever, but the thought of telling it was worse than the hair loss.  
  
  
Yagami Taichi lived in Highton View Terrace, a few apartments away from his childhood home. He wanted to be close to his   
family and he worked not far from there. He still had a full head of wild brown hair, and his eyes held the same childish   
sparkle that they always had. He was still hyper and wild, acting as he had at age eleven. At thirty-one, the only sign of   
aging he had were the small lines at the corner of his bright eyes. That, and the obvious stomach that he had developed. He   
had first drank alchohol at his twenty-first birthday celebration. Since then, whenever he had problems he turned to   
drinking. He wanted to stop, but Taichi's problems constantly egged him to drink. Every bartender in town knew his name,   
and all of them had refused Taichi numerous drinks per visit. He had been thrown out of bars many times. He managed to   
remain sane and calm while he drank, but he often kept pleading for another drink. He often walked home for his alchohol   
level would not permit him to drive, no matter how sober he acted. His famly and friends were concerned with his problem,   
as were his doctors. No one could understand how intelligent, responsible, honest Taichi could do something so stupid as to   
drink his life away. He alone held his reason for drinking, and that reason hurt him more than drinking ever could.  
  
  
Yamato pulled himself out of his chair and dragged himself into the kitchen. He grabbed a box of rice out of the cabinets   
and began defrosting some chicken. After it was thawed, had added spices and sauces until the chicken looked as though it   
had been cooked by a professional chef rather than a bachelor. When the chicken had been cooking for a bit, he prepared   
the rice and put it in a pan on the stove. Then he pulled out a can of peas and began cooking them. Somehow, through years   
of practice and timing, all of his dishes finished at the same time and not a single one burned as he set them on his   
small table. He grabbed a cola from his fridge and popped the top, sitting down to his meal. He wished he could have   
invited someone over to share his meal with him. He mentally slapped himself. The reason he was balding was for the person   
he wanted to ask over! Yamato squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could confess and get the whole mess over with. 'So what,   
Yamato? You love a boy. Alot of people are like that. Don't beat yourself up about it!' his mind told him. 'Yeah,' he   
replied, 'but do alot of people love their best friend?'  
  
  
Taichi tossed some money at the bartender and stumbled out into the street. He hailed a cab and sulked the entire way home   
from the small pub. His beer belly was a constant reminder of his secret. Not thinking, he spoke to the driver. "What's   
wrong with being gay?" He asked. The driver looked at Taichi in the rearview mirror. "Guys is s'posed to like girls. If   
guys is s'posed to like other guys, then why was da first two peoples male and female?" the driver replied gruffly. Taichi   
hung his head. He had known he was gay for a while now, but it was painful every time he thought about it. He climbed out   
of the cab and walked up to his apartment, tears flowing from his eyes. "Why am I like this? Why? Everything used to be so   
perfect." He said to no one in particular. He slipped off his shoes, socks, shorts, and shirt and climbed into his bed. He   
looked aroung his room. On the wall next to the bed was a window. At the foot of the bed was a closet and a dresser.   
Nothing was on the dresser except for some change and a lamp. On the wall at the other side of the bed were posters. On   
one was a picture of Yamato in his band, and the others were just random things. At the head of the bed was the door and   
another window. His eyes fell on the bedside stand. On it were several pictures: all of the Chosen Children; him and   
Yamato; and him, Yamato, Takeru and Hikari. He sighed and felt another tear slip down his cheek as he drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
Yamato set down the phone in shock. Mimi and Miyako, two of his past friends, were arranging a reunion. He had agreed to   
come, but the thought of seeing Taichi scared him. What is he couldn't take it? And what would everyone think of his new   
hairstyle? He walked into the bedroom and grabbed a suitcase. He lived in America now, and it would be a long trip to   
return home. He packed several outfits, his reading glasses, his toothbrush, and some toiletries. He picked up his bottle   
of gel and frowned, remembering how he used to spend hours on his hair. He shoved the bottle in his case and slammed it   
shut. He called work and told them he was taking a vacation, and would be back in a few weeks. He called the airport and   
arranged for his tickets, planning to leave that very night. He grabbed his bags and car keys and drove to the airport,   
mentally preparing himself for the confrontation with Taichi.  
  
  
"Mimi! Hi! When did you get here?" Taichi asked his old friend over the phone. "I flew in from America last week to visit   
Miyako. We decided it would be fun to see eveybody, so we planned this get-together. How are you?" Mimi asked. Taichi   
placed a hand on his large stomach. "I've been better." He said grimly. Mimi laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, Yagami   
Taichi!" She giggled. Taichi smiled. "I'll be there. Miyako's at 7:00 PM on Friday, right?" He asked. "Right." Mimi   
answered. "Okay, bye." Taichi hung up and looked around his apartment. 'What do I need to take?' he asked himself. 'A-ha!   
Clothes are good!' He went to his closet and searched for the outfit that would conceal his stomach the most. He picked   
out one and was feeling pretty good. "I can't wait to see everybody!" He cried out loud. He frowned. 'No matter what, NO   
alchohol Taichi.' he told himself. He called his mother, explaing the reunion, and anxiously began looking forward to   
seeing all of his old friends. "I wonder what happened to everybody..." He murmured. He smiled and thought of all the   
possibilities. He looked at the calander and sighed. "Friday can't come soon enough..."   
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	2. Facing Friends

Okay, this is part 2. I'm sorry that the parts are so short, but work with me. Enjoy! This part is dedicated to Rainchild.  
  
Yamato saw his bag on the luggage carosel after half an hour of waiting for it and grabbed it. He quickly ambled out of the   
busy airport and out onto the streets of Kyoto, Japan. Miyako lived there now in a VERY nice house with a VERY nice lawn.   
She had come upon some money and had a luxurious life to show for it. Yamato stuck out his thumb and climbed into the cab   
that stopped for him. He told the driver the address of his destination and looked around at the city.  
  
Moments later, he was dropped off in front of a large, expensive-looking house with a fancy car out front. He gazed around   
in awe and lifted his hand to knock on the wooden door, smoothing his hair nervously. He knocked loudly. The door was   
opened by a man wearing a black dress outfit and small glasses, a butler. "May I help you?" he asked. Yamato nodded. "I'm   
here to see Inoue Miyako. I'm her friend Ishida Yamato." He said. A noise was heard inside the house, and a woman with   
long purple hair and shining brown eyes appeared at the door. She was wearing a long, fancy blue dress and was very   
slender. "Yamato?" she asked, breathing in deeply. He nodded, smiling at her. She cried out and hugged the blonde man.   
When she pulled away she was grinning like crazy. She hadn't changed a bit! "Mimi! Yamato's here!" she cried, pulling   
Yamato into the house. The woman that was Mimi mall-walked towards Yamato. She had short brown hair, and was wearing a   
short pink and gold dress that looked as if it were made for her alone to wear. She squeezed Yamato, her arms around his   
neck. "It's good to see you." she cried. She looked him over, her eyes lingering on the missing patch of hair. She said   
nothing about it, but you could tell she wanted to. Miyako broke the silence. "Jyou, Sora, and Iori are in the living   
room. They'll be happy to see you." she said. Both girls, one on each side, grabbed his arms and led him to said room.   
  
A man with short blue hair and half moon glasses sat talking energetically to a woman with shoulder-length red hair and a   
man with short brown hair. All eyes traveled up to Yamato as he entered the room. Sora clapped her hand over her mouth.   
"Yamato? Is that you?" she cried. Yamato nodded. The girl leapt up and hugged him around the middle. He looked over her   
shoulder at Jyou and Iori. "Guys, if you want to hug me warn me first." he joked, worming away from Sora's death grip. Both   
men chuckled, climbing to their feet to shake Yamato's hand. All his friends looked so similar to the way that they used   
to. Only Yamato was visibly different. Jyou tapped Yamato's forehead. "Your hair must not like you any more, it's divorcing   
your head." The man joked, bringing Yamato's hair loss into view without insulting him. Yamato grinned. "Wait until you   
have a mid-life crisis. Then I'll be the one making jokes!" Yamato laughed and shook his head. "I'm glad to see you guys   
again." he said honestly. There was a knock at the door. The butler called from the door way. "Are you getting it, madam?"   
he asked. Miyako ran to the door to let in another friend and another memory.  
  
  
Taichi climbed off the bus and walked straight to the biggest bar in Kyoto. He remembered his promise to hold off his   
drinking, but figured that one beer couldn't hurt. He strolled in and sat down next to a blonde man that was extremely   
interested in a notebook. Taichi grunted an order to the bartender before turning to his neighbor. The blonde was nursing   
a beer, and mumbling as he scribbled something in the notebook. "Hello, there." Taichi said in a friendly voice. The man   
turned his ice blue eyes onto Taichi. He was about to gripe about being disturbed, but smiled. "Taichi! Long time no see!"   
the man cried. "Takeru!" Taichi called out in recognition. They shook hands. "Headed to Miyako's?" Taichi asked. Takeru   
nodded. Taichi gestured to the notebook. "What's that?" The younger man blushed. "It's a letter to Hikari." he said shyly.   
Taichi smiled. He had known about Takeru's crush on Hikari for a long time, and thought it was cute how they both loved   
each other but would never admit it. Taichi took the beer that had been set in front of him and quickly drained it. "Shall   
we?" he asked the blonde. Takeru nodded, and they set out for Miyako's house to remember the past that had slipped away   
from them with age.  
  
Takeru and Taichi knocked on the door. The butler answered it again, but Miyako and Mimi were already standing there.   
"Everybody's here now!" Miyako called, hugging both men. They followed the women into the sitting room and grinned at   
eveybody. The same couldn't be said for the people in the room. They stared disapprovingly at Taichi's beer-belly and   
Takeru's longish hair. "What, did someone die?" Takeru asked jokingly. Miyako glared at the room full of people.   
"Everyone, say hello to Taichi and Takru!" she cried. Yamato jumped up without thinking and took Taichi's hand, then   
Takeru's. "I've missed you both." he said. Hikari hugged Taichi and Takeru, and he sheepishly handed her the letter he   
had written in the bar. Giggling she ran back to her seat. Taichi saw Daisuke waving frantically and moved to sit next   
to him. He and Ken were siting on a sofa. Taichi took the empty spot next to Ken when he noticed Daisuke's arm around   
Ken's waist. Taichi stared at Ken questionably. Ken responded by lifting a hand and showing off a sparkling ring. Taichi   
couldn't believe it... He'd never pictured Daisuke and Ken as a couple or even gay! Daisuke saw Taichi's reaction and   
kissed Ken on the lips for show. Taichi glanced across the room at Yamato, who was watching Ken and Daisuke with a look   
of concentration on his face. He noticed Taichi staring at him and quickly turned to converse with Sora. Taichi couldn't   
understand. 'Why doesn't Yamato want to be around me?' he asked himself. He dismissed the thought and began talking with   
his old friends.  
  
"Where are you satying tonight, Yama?" Taichi asked his friend. Yamato looked at Taichi without expression. "I dunno." he  
mumbled into his cola. Taichi grinned. Why not stay at my place? It's an apartment at Highton View Terrace, and I don't   
charge for board." he suggested. Yamato looked unsure, but agreed anyway. "Great!" Taichi cried. He walked away to find   
Ken and Daisuke, but spotted Daisuke alone. "Daisuke, I need to talk to you. Alone." Taichi admitted. Daisuke led him away   
to one of the bedrooms. "What's up, Taichi?" he asked. Taichi looked at the ground. "I- I just am going throught the early   
stages of a secret hell. Daisuke, I'm gay. What can I do?" he cried, wiping his eyes. Daisuke frowned. "Is that why you   
turned to drinking? To solve your problems?" Daisuke asked. Taichi nodded and patted his large stomach. "Yup. Didn't work   
to well, I'm still gay." Daisuke smiled. "How long ago did you and Ken get married?" Taichi asked. Daisuke fingered the   
gold band on his tanned hand. "A year next month. Ans may I say, I've never been happier." Taichi grinned. "I'm glad it   
worked out for you two. Well, I had better get back out there. Thank you Daisuke." Taichi said. "For what?" Daisuke asked.   
"I have no clue."   
  
No sooner did Daisuke step out of the bedroom, Yamato grabbed him and pulled him into another room. Daisuke frowned.   
"What now?" he asked. yamato sighed. "I have a crush on someone." "Should I applaud?" Daisuke asked sarcastically.   
Yamato glared. "I have a crush on another guy!" Daisuke smiled. "You too? Taichi just told me that..." he stopped short.   
"Nevamind." he mumbled, blushing and cursing himself. Yamato's eyes widened. Taichi was... gay? "Well, that helps alot!   
Thanks Daisuke!" Yamato called as he ran from the room. "For what?" Daisuke asked the empty room.  
  
  
The two boys thanked Miyako and promised to meet the gang for a day of activities the next day. Taichi led Yamato to the   
bus stop where they sat on the hard, weathered bench. "How's American life?" Taichi asked. Yamato smiled. "It's not bad."   
He pointed to the spot on top of his head. "It's just very stressful. And the language is confusing! They are a bunch of   
wild ones, Americans." He said. "How about you?" "I live seven apartments away from my old home. It's very close to work,   
and not far from a pub." Taichi grinned. Yamato frowned. "Taichi, why did you do this to yourself?" Yamato asked. Taichi   
looked at his feet. "I have my reasons." he said softly. "Is itbecause you're gay?" Taichi jerked hs head up and met   
Yamato's deep eyes. "How did you- yes, that's it." Taichi admitted, knowing that Yamato would hate him now. Yamato's hand   
found its way to Taichi's shoulder. "Taichi, I'm balding because of stress. I haven't told anyone, but it's because I'm   
gay too. You aren't alone." Yamato said, feeling tears sting his eyes. Taichi looked at Yamato in surprise. "You- you're-"   
Taichi stuttered. Yamato nodded. The ycouldn't continue their conversation further, for the bus had arrived.   
  



	3. 

And ladida! Part three! This part is dedicated to A Girl Named Goo, my bestest buddy!  
  
The entire time that Yamato and Taichi were on the bus, they were totally silent. Neither of   
them made a noise or barely even moved. Taichi was leaning against the window, trying not to   
cry. He couldn't believe that Yamato knew his deepest secret. 'How did he find out?' Taichi   
wondered. Yamato had similar thoughts. He was leaning against the seat back with his eyes   
closed, thinking. 'Why did I have to find out? Even if I know that there is a bigger chance   
of him liking me, I'm still too afraid to find out. There's no way in hell that he loves me.'   
Yamato sighed. He opened his eyes to find Taichi's large brown ones looking at his face. "Yama-   
Yamato, how did y-you find out that you were..." Taichi stuttered. Yamato looked at the ground.   
"I got a crush on someone. Then I knew. I cried whenever I thought about him, and I want nothing   
more than to be with him." Yamato admitted. "Does he know how you feel?" Taichi asked. "No. At   
least, I hope not. If he does know it means that he doesn't like me back." Yamato choked back   
a sob. "Why don't you tell him? I'm sure he'd understand." Taichi said. Yamato shook his head.   
"He'd hate me. I'll never tell him." Taichi, sensing that he wouldn't get Yamato to say   
anymore, dropped the subject. Yamato allowed several tears to slide down his cheeks. The next   
time Taichi spoke to Yamato was to tell him that they could get off the bus.  
  
Taichi pushed open the door to his apartment. Except for the empty beer bottles on the table   
and a few newspapers scattered across the couch, the place was pretty clean. Taichi blushed   
and hurried to put the beer bottles in a trash bag and put the newspapers in a stack on the c  
offee table. Taichi turned to Yamato after he was done cleaning. "I'm sorry that it's so   
messy." Taichi apologized. "Taichi, this looks great! I've never seen you keep clean before.   
I certainly didn't expect a well-kept house." Taichi just blushed redder and busied himself   
with carrying Yamato's luggage into the bedroom. Yamato followed, eager to see how clean the   
rest of the house was.   
  
The bedroom was slightly messier. There was a dirty laundry hamper near the closet that was   
pretty neglected, and the clothes stacked on top of the dresser needed to be put away. Other   
than that it was neater than Yamato's own room. This was surprising, because Yamato pained to   
take care of his household. Yamato looked around at the various pictures Taichi had. He turned   
and saw the poster of himself, singing a song in his band. He reached out and touched the   
poster, tracing his guitar and mouthing the lyrics to the song he had been singing. "Those   
were the good ol' days, weren't they?" Taichi's voice snapped Yamato back into reality. He   
turned to face the brunette. "Yeah, I guess. I miss them." 'I miss my hair too.' Yamato added   
silently. Taichi nodded. "We had fun. Man, I was so slim and trim! Look at that body." Taichi   
cried as he picked up a picture of himself playing soccer. He sighed. "Yama, where did we go   
wrong? I thought things would be perfect forever. Now look at me: I'm a middle-aged man that   
relies solely on alchohol. That's no way to live! What can I do?" Taichi sniffed, setting the   
picture down. His body shook with muffled sobs and shuddery breaths. Unsure of what else to do,   
Yamato stepped over to Taichi and took him into his arms. "Shh, it's ok Taichi. Shh, I'm here."   
Yamato soothed, gently rocking his friend back and forth. Taichi stopped crying and looked up   
at Yamato. "What are you doing?" Taichi asked. Yamato released the brunette and stepped away,   
cursing himself and turning red. "Sorry, Taichi." Yamato said softly. Taichi shook his head.   
"It's ok. You snapped me back into the real world. Don't worry about it." Taichi waved his   
hand dismissively. Yamato couldn't help but feel that Taichi liked being held in his arms, and   
wrapped the man in a hug. Taichi awkwardly placed his arms around Yamato's shoulders and patted   
his back. He pulled away soon after. Yamato smiled. Maybe there was hope for him and Taichi   
after all.  
  
Yamato set the last dish of carefully prepared food on the table. "Are you sure you didn't want   
me to stay just because I can cook?" Yamato asked Taichi who was already filling his plate with   
food. Taichi made a sad face. "Would I do such a thing?" He asked. Yamato laughed. Taichi   
began reaching for a pot of soup. "Taichi that's-" "Ow!" "-hot." The brunette stuck his burned   
fingers in his mouth, tears at the corners of his eyes. Yamato laughed and shook his head. "I   
warned you." he said, chuckling. He took off his apron and sat down across from Taichi to eat.   
"I rented a video you might want to watch. That or I have Nintendo. Your choice." Taichi   
offered. Yamato sighed. 'Same old Taichi.' he told himself. "You always beat me at video   
games, so let's opt for the video." Yamato told Taichi. Taichi agreed and began eating as   
though he had been starved. When both men had finished their meals, Yamato went to sit on the   
couch while Taichi went to get the video and make some popcorn. He came into the living room,   
put in the video, and sat beside Yamato. He was holding two beers and a bag of popcorn. "I   
don't drink Taichi." Yamato said, pointing to a beer. Taichi looked at Yamato, confused. "Who   
said I got you one?" Taichi asked. Yamato shook his head. "No wonder your stomach is the size   
it is." Yamato said. Taichi hung his head. "I know, I know, I need to stop. It will take time."   
Taichi sighed. Now Yamato felt bad. He hadn't meant to hurt Taichi's feelings."Taichi, I'm   
sorry." Yamato said, putting an arm around Taichi's shoulders. Taichi wiped his   
eyes and shrugged Yamato off. "S'ok. The video's comin' on." Taichi said. Yamato leaned back   
and put his arm along the top of the couch. They watched the video, remaining silent except   
for either laughing or shouting at the tv.  
  
At some during the video, Yamato's arm slid from the back of the couch to around Taichi's   
shoulders. As Yamato nestled his arm around his crush, Taichi jerked in surprise. "Yama, what   
are you doin'? Give me a heart-attack why don't you?" Taichi snapped. Yamato pulled his arm   
back. "Sorry Taichi." he whispered. Taichi's eyes were on the screen. "It's ok. It's just that   
this is a freaky part and you startled me." Taichi explained. Yamato's hands remained folded in   
his lap for the rest of their time on the couch. As the video neared it's end, Yamato felt his   
eyelids grow heavy and droop from exaustion. He closed his eyes and felt himself fall. The now   
sleeping body of Ishida Yamato slumped onto Taichi's shoulder. "D'ya mind?" Taichi asked the   
other man, shoving him away from his shoulder. Yamato fell towards the arm of the couch and   
rested there until the video was over. Only then did Taichi realize that the blonde was   
snoozing. Chuckling, he switched off the tv and went to guide his friend to bed.  
  
Taichi laid the thin form of Yamato into his bed and tucked the covers around him. Pulling   
extra bedclothes from the closet, he made a pallet for himself on the floor of his room.   
Yamato opened an ice blue eye and looked at his friend lying on the hard bedroom floor.   
"Taichi, you can have the bed if you want. I'll take the floor." Yamato offered. Taichi   
shook his head. "Nope. I'll not have my guests suffering so that I can have a good night's   
sleep." Taichi said firmly. Yamato patted the large bed. "Then share the bed with me. You   
didn't take the floor during sleep-overs." Yamato pointed out. With a sigh of defeat, Taichi   
climbed into the bed next to Yamato. Pulling the covers over him, he turned to his side and   
was snoring in a second. Yamato closed his eyes, feeling Taichi's warm body next to him and   
thinking about the events of that day.  
  
"Yamato, what are you doing?" Yamato opened his eyes and found Taichi glaring at him. Blushing   
and apologizing, Yamato removed his arms from around Taichi. "Taichi... I didn't mean to..."   
Yamato murmured softly. Taichi tossed his head. "Whatever. You've been weird lately." With   
that, Taichi threw off the covers and stood, climbing out of the bed. Yamato scolded himself.   
"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why am I such a screw-up?" Yamato asked the empty room. "Did you say   
something Yamato?" Taichi called from the bathroom. "No!" Yamato cried back. Sighing, the   
blonde climbed out of bed and went to find some clothes for that day.  
  
"Dad? Hi. It's me, Yamato." Yamato said into the phone. "YAMATO?" the voice on the other end   
cried. Yamato jerked the phone away from his ear. "Yeah. I'm here in Japan, staying with Yagami   
Taichi. You remember him. I just figured that you might wanna see me and all. "Yes! I'll be   
here all day. Drop by!" Ishida Masaharu yelled excitedly. "Yeah, see ya. Bye." Yamato set down   
the phone and smoothed his shirt. Balding or not, he still cared about his appearence. "Hey,   
Yamato, while you're visiting old friends you should go see Jun." Taichi called from the   
kitchen. "What?!" Yamato cried. Taichi walked into the living room, chuckling and chewing on a   
piece of toast. "Any of that for me?" Yamato asked, pointing to the food. Taichi jerked a   
thumb in the direction of the kitchen. "Have at it. I hafta get to work. Um, I'll leave you   
the car so you can visit people. As soon as I get back we'll meet up with the others. Bye!"   
With that the brunette left Yamato standing in the living room, still trying to process what   
he'd said about where the food was.   
  
To be continued! 


End file.
